If I was "skeptical" about something like say the covid vaccine - then I'd go and do some research. And do you know what the research (in this case) would turn up? That the covid vaccines are indeed SAFE AND EFFECTIVE. But you know what most of these "vaccine skeptical" people are NOT doing? They're NOT doing any research to resolve their skepticism. So spare me this vaccine skepticism argument.
Oh, I think they are doing what they think is "research", but they don't know the difference between anecdotal evidence and scientific evidence.
They hear about one pop star's cousin [1] in another country that had swollen testicles after his shot and that's someone that not only they can relate to, but even trust more that official sources because, hey, why would that star lie about it. While many are convinced that the government and health care industry in general has an ulterior motive.
It's a combination of disinformation and lack of critical thinking skills. I spent 2 hours on the phone with my brother one night, pointing out why his "sources" were not really authoritative sources - if you can't find the source of their data, don't trust it, "I know a guy who..." is not a "source". Not sure if that's what swayed him, but he got his first vaccination 2 weeks later. And it's a good thing he got it, he and his wife just recovered from COVID which they think their daughter brought home.
When I said, "Listen to the experts and believe the science", I should have stipulated, "Not those experts and not that science"
In fact, strike that. Only listen to the experts and believe in 'the science' when it aligns with my totally altruistic motives. No other incentives or motives exist. I am completely honest and have nothing to hide, but questioning my agenda is strictly out of bounds.
I believe this sarcasm is truly important in understanding this. There is very much an "appeal to authority" conundrum going on. Solid studies that deviate at all from what the US media and the Biden Administration are discredited.
This extends to policies and prescriptions that have been in place for months or a year in other countries and working to positive effect, i.e. Ivermectin use in numerous countries to assist in fighting COVID (https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8248252/) or for instance most of Europe not locking down schools and requiring masks.
This information leads some to believe that a bias or, at worst, an agenda is applied to the science, discarding studies that don't fit the narrative of "the science."
There are several deaths formally acknowledged due to Myocarditis to otherwise seemingly healthy people after taking the vaccine. This is not disinformation.
That's the problem with anecdotal evidence, I have no idea how to make a statistically valid comparison of "several deaths" with the risk of death if no one is vaccinated. But I trust that the CDC and FDA did make that comparison and are still measuring and monitoring.
Hm, a thought - in a world where we are only in immediate contact with less than 200 people, an event happening to someone you know about carries meaningful information about the statistical likelihood of that event. We probably developed some heuristics based on that. Now we have a global telecommunications network which means that any strange event gets broadcast everywhere - this must surely break those heuristics, artificially inflating the perceived probability of rare events. There's also "celebrities", who feel like close acquaintances to millions of people. A single rare event happening to a celebrity gets amplified hugely.
To save others a click: CDC says to give ivermectin to kill intestinal parasites (with an exception due to risk to people who might be carrying loa loa). Not horse paste to treat a virus.
Can you tell me what the long term effects of the COVID vaccine are? I’ve done a lot of research on that specifically but the time seems to have not passed yet.
But plenty of bogus COVID treatments and prophylactics - some even promoted by the (former) president himself. I'll admit that I don't fully understand the thought process that leads someone to reject a vaccine that's supported overwhelmingly by doctors and the government, and then take a horse dewormer because they saw some guy on youtube recommend it.
there isn't a history of marketing vaccines for profit
Maybe not vaccines, but plenty of pricing abuse by Pharmaceutical companies that make them seem like they'll do anything, even let people die, if they can earn more money. Insulin and epi-pens are two of the more well known ones.
> then take a horse dewormer because they saw some guy on youtube recommend it.
Sigh. Your "HORSE dewormer" (thank you CNN) is one of the medications recommended by the CDC for refugees btw. I guess refugees are considered working horses, so your statement might not be false.
"All Middle Eastern, Asian, North African, Latin American, and Caribbean refugees should receive presumptive therapy with:
...
Ivermectin, two doses 200 mcg/Kg orally once a day for 2 days before departure to the United States."
There’s a YouTube video called “Ivermectin Horse Paste” that was published in January of this year and now has nearly 160,000 views. In it, a woman who goes by Self Sufficient Momma demonstrates how to portion out horse paste in order to make it a suitable dose for humans, depending on weight.
The fact that medical grade Ivermectin is prescribed for other ailments doesn't make it any less ludicrous that people are going to the feed store and buying tubes of horse Ivermectin to self-medicate for COVID at home.
That rumor got started because a study in mice showed it lessened the severity of infection. The doses were very high, close to lethal. There is no evidence of prophylactic use making a difference. Only early stage of infection use. Some doctors are prescribing it for covid cases. It is not surprising it would work a little, it causes an increased immune response. There are also studies linking it to melanoma shrinkage. There is a large enough parasite burden in even a developed population that a twice yearly dose might make sense for humans.
All that said, buying an oral syringe with enough ivermectin to kill people with low body mass and trying to get your dose right is a horrible idea.
It's YouTube. There is mildly popular garbage everywhere. YouTube regularly recommends videos like 'I Went Back To 1st Grade For A Day' by one Mr. Beast with 107M views, or 'CoComelon Songs For Kids' for 77M views. 160k views appears rather minor in comparison. Most of the views are probably bored teenagers looking for some novel debased spectacle.
Are you claiming peple are too smart to believe a garbage video on Youtube? I'd like to see a reference for that, because I'm not seeing much of it.
Don't forget that this is a country where people died from overdosing on aquarium chemicals because they thought the chloroquine on the label meant it would prevent COVID.
In Maricopa County, Ariz., a couple in their 60s watched politicians and news anchors on TV tout chloroquine, an anti-malaria drug that has shown the ability to disrupt some viruses but that has not yet been proved effective against the novel coronavirus.
That pharmaceutical name matched the label on a bottle of chemicals they used to clean their koi pond, NBC News reported. The fish tank solvent that treats aquatic parasites contains the same active ingredient as the drug, but in a different form that can poison people.
“Within thirty minutes of ingestion, the couple experienced immediate effects” that sent them to the emergency room, a Banner Health spokeswoman said in a statement Monday. They felt dizzy and started vomiting. The husband died at the hospital, and the wife is under critical care, according to the statement.
And states across the country are reporting an uptick in poison control calls for people that ingested Ivermectin, almost all from animal drugs, not prescriptions.
>And states across the country are reporting an uptick in poison control calls for people that ingested Ivermectin, almost all from animal drugs, not prescriptions.
You're spreading FUD man. These "upticks" you speak of are, in the case of one state, from 1 instance per year to 9. I guess its statistically a huge uptick, but, lets keep some perspective ey?
According to the National Poison Data System (NPDS), which collects information from the nation's 55 poison control centers, there was a 245% jump in reported exposure cases from July to August — from 133 to 459.
Ahhh, from the paper linked in your NPR article - 2020 cases = 435, 2021 cases = 1143. It's an even smaller increase than I originally thought - only 163%! Also, looks like 25% were from prescriptions.
What’s the difference between human and horse ivermectin? Dosage.
What you’re actually arguing without knowing is a position the CDC took to keep people from self dosing because the left media pushed the public into a mass panic. People overdosing on any drug, especially during a pandemic, is bad.
Dosage, and probably mixing -- how much do you want to trust that that ingredients are mixed so thoroughly that the little dab that gives you a human dose actually has that dose?
Plus the 98% fillers in horse dewormer of unspecified ingredients.
If you really think you need Ivermectin, get a prescription from a doctor so you'll be getting a known dose and have medical supervision.
Or, you know, just get the vaccine and reduce your risk of a serious case of COVID by 95%+
> Dosage, and probably mixing -- how much do you want to trust that that ingredients are mixed so thoroughly that the little dab that gives you a human dose actually has that dose?
It’s just dosage. Unless you’re getting your horse ivermectin from sketch sources. Who’s going to trust a multiple thousand to multiple millions of dollar animal on questionable ingredients.
> If you really think you need Ivermectin, get a prescription from a doctor so you'll be getting a known dose and have medical supervision.
Hey agreed, so tell your lefty buddies to stop causing mass panic so those without medical insurance or money won’t try treating themselves.
> Or, you know, just get the vaccine and reduce your risk of a serious case of COVID by 95%+
Tell me the long term risks of the vaccine. Also show me some medical credentials since you’re recommending everybody get the vaccine.
It’s just dosage. Unless you’re getting your horse ivermectin from sketch sources. Who’s going to trust a multiple thousand to multiple millions of dollar animal on questionable ingredients.
Since you seem to be expert in this, what human safe ingredients are used in the 98% of this paste that is not Ivermectin?
Hey agreed, so tell your lefty buddies to stop causing mass panic so those without medical insurance or money won’t try treating themselves.
It's not the "lefties" that are telling people to use Ivermectin and other questionable remedies -- the lefties are telling them to get the vaccine. The best bet for someone without medical insurance is to get the free vaccine.
Also show me some medical credentials since you’re recommending everybody get the vaccine
That's the great thing about quoting experts, I don't need credentials myself, I can just repeat the same expert advice:
"Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, pleaded Sunday for Americans to set aside politics and get the coronavirus vaccine"
I'd quote his credentials, but I suspect that you already know who he is.
As for long term side effects, I'm willing to bet my own health on "none":
Tractor supply would be a sketch source, try a vet or someone that specializes. And don’t use the paste. In fact don’t do it at all without a physician guiding you. But the fact remains, ivermectin is ivermectin.
> It's not the "lefties" that are telling people to use Ivermectin and other questionable remedies
Read my statement again, the lefties are causing mass panic. You’re doing it now and telling people not to trust a drug.
> Dr. Anthony Fauci, the nation’s top infectious disease expert, pleaded Sunday for Americans to set aside politics and get the coronavirus vaccine
He lost trust the second he lied to control people. Only the left listens to him now.
> As for long term side effects, I'm willing to bet my own health on "none"
Great, but not everybody is so careless with their life. And what you’re saying is you should have control over theirs for something we think may not happen.
Read my statement again, the lefties are causing mass panic. You’re doing it now and telling people not to trust a drug.
I don't know if you'd bothered to read my posts, but I specifically said Horse Dewormer, but then you and others started defending Ivermectin.
But yeah, if you're trying to prevent or cure COVID, don't use Ivermectin, and there's scant evidence that it helps, and if you're worried about long term effects of something, then be worried about the long term effects of COVID.
I would too, but this is the same thing that anti-vaxxers are saying about the COVID vaccine